Selective keyboard clearing means



Fileq March 12, 1949 J- A. MAFF IE SELECTIVE KEYBOARD CLEARING MEANS 2 ETS-7mm Jnventor March 25, 1952 J. A. MAFFIE SELECTIVE KEYBOARD CLEARING MEANS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed March 12. 1949 Clltorueg Patented Mar. 25, 1952 SELECTIVE KEYBOARD CLEARING MEANS James A. Mafl'ie, Belleville, N. J., assignor to Monroe Calculating Machine Company, Orange, N. J a corporation of Delaware Application March 12, 1949, Serial No. 81,144

4 Claims. (Cl. 235-130) The invention relates to keyboard clearing means for motor operated calculating machines having means for rendering the operation of the clearing means inefiective to release keys of any selected columns, thereby providing a constant setting for the entered value.

It is the purpose of this invention to provide means selectively operable under control of an operation key, such as a clear key, which will permit a constant factor setting in the keyboard of a motor operated machine.

The keyboard comprises a plurality of columns of depressible value keys; each of said columns including digital value keys and a zero key. Each of the columns is provided with a spring urged latching bail for holding the keys in depressed position and the movement of any key toward depressed position is adapted to move said bail to release any set key, including the zero key, in the related column prior to the latching action of said bail for the key being depressed.

The clearout means includes a bail adapted to simultaneously depress all of the zero keys thereby releasing any set digital value keys and latching the zero keys in depressed position. If the bail is held in operated position by holding the zero key or clearout key depressed while setting a new value into the keyboard, the zero keys in the related columns will not be released, and subsequent operation of the bail will therefore be ineffective to clear the new value from the keyboard. Such an arrangement is fully disclosed in United States Patent No. 1,750,565, issued to E. F. Britten, Jr., on March 11, 1930. According to said disclosure, the clearout bail is manually operated by appropriate linkage upon depression of a clear key. To provide for a constant value setting, the clearout bail may be held in operated position by holding the clear key manually depressed.

A machine having motor operated keyboard clearout means of substantially the same character as the manually operated means disclosed in the above noted Patent No. 1,750,565 is fully disclosed in the copending application of Herman Gang, Serial No. 8,547, filed February 16, 1948, now Patent No. 2,531,206, issued November 21, 1950. According to said disclosure, the clearout bail is driven by a single cycle clutch to its operated position and then released; a suitable spring being provided to restore and maintain the bail in normal position. Holding the operating key, which controls engagement of the clutch, in depressed position will not hold the clearout bail in operated position as the clutch is limited to a single cycle of operation to rock and release the bail. The present invention provides means selectively controlled by manipulation of the operating key to hold the bail in operated position thereby permitting a constant factor setting in the keyboard.

The invention, however, will best be understood from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a right side view of the machine with parts in section showing the latching means for the clearout bail, the operating key and portions of the linkage for driving the clearout bail.

Fig. 2 is a detailed view showing the latching means engaging and holding the clearout bail in operated position.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of the key stem construction for the digital value and zero keys and the latching bail therefor.

Fig. 4 is a partial section taken substantially on the lines 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing the clearout bail, the lower ends of the zero key stems, portions of the riving means and controls therefor.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation of the clearout clutch, controls therefor and the reciprocatory means driven by the clutch.

Keyboard clearing means The digital value keys l8 (Figs. 1 and 3) are adapted upon depression to adjust selector bails 20 to set the selected values in digital actuators 5. The first keys IQ of each column represent zero value and have no adjusting function in connection with the selector bails 20. Each column of keys I8, I9 is provided with a bail 432 for latching any key in the related column in depressed position by engagement with a notch (Fig. 3) with which each key stem is provided. The stems of the keys (8, I 9 are of well known construction in which each is provided with a cam edge which, upon depression of the key, is adapted to move the related bail 432, thereby releasing any set key in that column. The zero keys H] are therefore,

in effect, columnar releasing means. Accordingly, provision is made to simultaneously depress the rows of zero keys [9 extending across the front of the keyboard, thereby releasing any set digital value keys.

The stem of each of the zero keys [9 (Figs. 1 and 4) terminates at its lower end in a horizontally disposed portion. Extending across the machine is a bail 5|5 pivotally mounted on a shaft 5(6. The rearward edge of bail 5|5 overlies the horizontal ends of the zero key stems and is in contact therewith when the keys are in released is rocked clockwise (Figs. 1 and 2) (by means to be described) the zero keys l9 will be depressed, thereby releasing the value keys I B which may be set in each column and latching the zero keys by means of bails 432.

Driving means for the clearing operation The driving means for the clearing operation comprises a one cycle clutch 464 (Fig. mounted on the left hand side frame of the machine and driven by the motor through suitable gearing. As disclosed in the aforementioned copending application, Serial No. 8,547, clutch 464 may be engaged upon depression of any one of a plurality of operating keys; which keys also serve to select the particular clearout operation to be performed. The present disclosure concerns the keyboard clearing operation only and the selection of this operation and the engagement of clutch 464 is effected upon depression of an operating key 466 (Fig. 1).

The stem of key 466 is attached at its lower end to the forward end of a lever 410 which is pivotally mounted at its rear on a stud 412 fixed on the right hand side frame. Lever 410 is provided with a depending arm which terminates in a horizontally disposed finger 416 which is adapted for contact with an arm of bell crank 414 (Figs. 1 and 4). Bell crank 414 is pivotally mounted on a vertical shaft 416 suitably fixed and depending from a cutout section of the right hand side frame. The other arm of bell crank 414 is pivoted to a slide 418 which extends across the machine and therefore depression of key 466 will move said slide toward the left of the machine. This movement of slide 413 will release a latch 482 (Figs. 4 and 5) which allows clutch 464 to be engaged and effect the driving connection to bail 5 I 5.

The latch 482 (Figs. 4 and 5) which is normally in engagement with a shoulder 48!! of a slide 480 holds said slide in its rearward position against the tension of a spring 48l. Slide 480 is slidably sup-ported at its forward end on a shaft 484 projecting externally of the left hand side frame and extending across the machine, and at its rearward end said slide is attached to an arm 485 fixed on a shaft 486 rotatably mounted in the side frame. is in abutment with an upstanding ear 482 of latch 482. Thus, movement of slide 416 toward the left will rock latch 482 clockwise against the tension of spring 483, releasing slide 466 which will be pulled forward by spring 48L The left hand end of slide 418 is provided with a recess and when the slide is moved to active position the forward end of released slide 480 will enter said recess and hold slide 418 in set position until the engaging end of slide 489 has been removed when said slide is restored to latched position.

Clutch 464 (Fig. 5) is driven by a suitable gear train from the motor and is of well-known construction in which a spring pawl mounted on the driven member of the clutch is held out of engagement with the driving member by a detent. For this purpose a detent 481 is fixed on shaft 486 and when the slide 486 is released, shaft 486 through arm 485 will be rocked counterclockwise thus removing detent 481 from engagement with the pawl of clutch 464, thereby engaging the drive to the motor. Upon engagement of clutch 464, the circuit breaker for the electric motor must be closed. For this purpose, a bell crank 49!] :pivotally mounted on the frame is urged counterclock- The leftmost end of slid-e 418 4 wise (Fig. 5) by a suitable spring. A horizontally disposed arm of bell crank 496 is in contact with a pin on the forward end of lever 29!! and said bell crank is restrained from rotation by a lu 49! on the slide 486 in blocking contact with a depending arm of said bell crank. When slide 48!] moves forwardly, bell crank 49!) will be urged counterclockwise by its spring and the forward end of lever 206 will be lifted to close the circuit breaker.

Provision is made to limit clutch 464 to a single cycle of operation. To this end, detent 481 is provided with an extension 492, the free end of which is provided with a cam face 492. When detent 481 is disengaged, the free end of arm 492 is moved downwardly, thus bringing the cam face 492' into position to be engaged by a pin 493 mounted on the driven member of the clutch 464. As clutch 464 approaches its full cycle position, pin 493 will contact cam face 492 raising arm 492 and thus moving detent 481 into position where it will engage the pawl of clutch 464 and disconnect the drive when the clutch reaches full cycle position. As detent 481 is fast on shaft 486, the shaft will be rocked clockwise carrying arm 485 with it and moving slide 480 to the rear. The pin 493 of clutch 464 will pass under the cam face 492' providing sufficient movement to bring the shoulder 490' of the slide 489 to the rear of the restraining arm of latch 482 which will be urged into latching position by spring 493. The slide 486 will then be urged forward by its spring into contact with the latch 482 and the arm 492 moved slightly downward (Fig. 5). The latch 462 operates as above described only if the clear key 466 has been released before the completion of the cycle. If the key 466 has been released, the car 482' abutting the end of setting slide 418 will move said slide to the right to its unset position. However, should the clear key be held depressed, the setting slide will be held to the left and by'contact with ear 482' hold the latch in rocked clockwise position, from the position shown in Fig. 4, out of the path of movement of the shoulder 480 of slide 486. In this instance, a latch lever 494 having common pivotal mounting with latch 482 will be urged clockwise by spring connection with latch 482, thus positioning it in the path of movement of the shoulder of slide 436, thereby preventing forward movement of the slide. When key 466 is released, latch 482 will then be free to be moved counterclockwise by spring 483 and return slide 418 to normal. At latch 482 is moved, it will, by contact with latch 494, move said latch out of engagement with slide 436 and itself be moved into latching position.

Clutch 464 furnishes the drive for the clearout operation by an eccentric cam 495 mounted on the driven member thereof. The eccentric cam is adapted to impart a reciprocatory movement to a link 496 (Fig. 5) which is attached at its forward end to a crank arm 491 which is fixed on the shaft 484 which extends across the machine.

Thus, when clutch 464 is operated, shaft 484 is rocked clockwise (Fig. 5), counterclockwise (Fig. 1) during the first half of the cycle to rock clearout bail 5I5 to depress zero keys l9, and during the second half of the cycle shaft 484 will be rocked back to normalthereby releasing bail 5I5 as follows:

The bail 515 is provided at its rightmost end with a depending arm 511 (Figs. 1 and 2) adjacent the inner wall of the right hand side frame. A push link 518 is attached to the arm 511 and extends rearwardly and in sliding contact with the inner wall of said frame. Mounted on the rear end of link 518 is a stud, 519 extending through a horizontally disposed slot in the side frame and provided with an enlarged head which prevents lateral displacement of the link 518. Ball 5 is normally maintained in unrocked position by a spring 520 attached to the lower end of arm 5", thereby holding link 518 toward the rear and stud 519 normally at the rear of its slot. Shaft 484 (Fig. 1) extends through the right hand side frame externally thereof and is provided with an end portion, the sides of which are flattened to provide rotary drive to a member 521 slidably mounted thereon. Member 521 is provided with an upstanding lug 521' normally positioned to the right and rear of the head of stud 519. Clearout slide 418 (Figs. 1 and 4) ex tends to the right beyond the side frame and terminates in a rearward projection provided with a slot which engages a rim of member 521. Therefore, when key 466 is depressed and slide 478 moved to the left from the position shown in Fig. 4, the lug 521' of the member 521 will be brought into the plane of the head of stud 519. As shaft 484 is rocked counterclockwise (Fig. l) by action of clearout clutch 464, member 521 will be accordingly rocked and lug 521' will contact the head of stud 519 thereby moving link 518 to rock bail 515 and release any set keys 18. In the second half of the cycle of clutch 464, member 521 will be returned in clockwise direction thereby releasing bail 515 which will be restored by spring 520.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the motor operated clearout bail 515 will be invariably restored from its key depressing position regardless of the continued depression of operating key 466.

Selective keyboard non-clear It is possible to set a constant value in the keys 18 by manually holding each of the zero keys 19 of the selected columns depressed during the setting operation as disclosed in Patent No. 1,750,565. This, however, entails awkward and at times plural operation. To obviate these disadvantages of the motor-operated clearout means herein described, the present invention as disclosed provides a latching means which will be efiective to hold bail 515 in rocked position as long as the operating clearout key 466 is held manually depressed.

The latch 522 (Figs. 1, 2 and 4) is pivotally mounted on a stud 523 on the right hand side frame and is spring biased for engagement with a rightwardly extending lug 511' of arm 511 on bail 515. Latch 522 is normally held from engagement with lug 51 '1 by a pin 524 which underlies an arm 522' integral with said latch as shown in Fig. 1. Pin 524 is located at the end oi the stem of operating key 466 and also provides the pivotal connection for arm 4'10. Upon depression of key 466, pin 524 will be lowered to the position shown by the dot-dash lines (Fig. 2) and thus permit latch 522 to engage lug 511 before bail 515 is rocked. Therefore when bail 515 is rocked, lug 511 will be moved to the position where it will be engaged by the efiective end or" latch 522 as shown in Fig. 2. It will be seen that ball 515 will be held in rocked position against the tension of spring 520 as long as key 466 is held depressed thereby holding the zero keys 19 in latched positionto permit the setting of a constant value in keys [8. Upon release of key 466,

6 its restoring spring 466 will overcome the spring of latch 522 thereby releasing bail 515.

Although I have shown and described the invention in conjunction with a particular motor drive for the clearout devices, it will be obvious that other motor operated driving means may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a motor operated calculating machine having value entering mechanism including a plurality of columns of depressible value keys; each of said columns including digital value keys and a zero key, and latching means for each of said columns for holding any one of said keys of the related column in depressed position and movable upon depression of any one of said keys to release any latched key of the same column; the combination of a bail movable to simultaneously depress all of said zero keys, means driven by the motor for moving and thereafter releasing said bail, spring means for restoring said ball from key depressing position, an operating key for initiating operation of said driving means, and normally disabled latching means controlled by said operating key to hold said bail in key depressing position whereby depression of digital value keys will be ineffective to release the related zero keys.

2. In a motor operated calculating machine having value entering mechanism including a plurality of columns of depressible value keys, each of said columns including digital value keys and a zero key, and latching means for each of said columns for holding any one of said keys of the related column in depressed position and movable upon depression of any one of said keys to release any latched key of the same column; the combination of a bail movable to simultaneously depress all of said zero keys, means driven by the motor for moving and thereafter releasing said bail, spring means for restoring said bail from key depressing position, adepressible operating key for initiating operation of said driving means, spring means for retracting said operating key, latching means for holding said bail in key depressing position and means for enabling and disabling said latching means upon depression and retraction respectively of said operating key.

3. The invention according to claim 2 characterized by the provision of a spring for urging the latch means for engagement with the bail, and wherein the enabling and disabling means comprises a contact member on the operating key for engaging said latching means, thereby moving and maintaining said latching means from engagement with said ball upon retraction of said operating key and permitting the engagement of said latching means with said bail upon depression of said operating key.

4. In a motor operated calculating machine having value entering mechanism including a plurality of columns of depressible digital value keys, latching means for each of said columns for holding any one of said keys of the related column in depressed position and movable upon depression of any one of said keys to release any latched key of the same column, and an individual releasing element for each of said columns movable to effect the key releasing movement of the related latching means and thereafter adapted to be held in inoperative position by said related latching means and to be released therefrom upon depression of a key in the related column; the combination of a bail operable to simul- REFERENCES CITED taneously move all of said key releasing elements The renewing references are of record in the I to inoperative latched position, means driven by me of this patent:

the motor for operating and thereafter releasing said bail, spring means for restoring said bail 5 UNITED STATES PATENTS from operated position, an operating key for ini- Number Name Date tiating operation of said driving means, and nor- 1,351,082 Wing Aug. 31, 1920 mally disabled latching means controlled by said 1,750,565 Britten, Jr. Mar. 11, 1930 operating key to hold said bailin operated posi- 2,059,652 Pott Nov. 3, 1936 tion whereby depression of digital value keys will 10 ,346,834 Friden et a1 Apr- .4 be ineffective to release the related key releas- 2,350,979 Avery et June 1944 ing l m t-, 2,390,041 Avery et a1. Dec. 4, 1945 2,416,809 Avery Mar. 4, 1-947- JAMES A. MAFFIE. 

